Electric lighter for cigars.



T. P. MOODY. VELEOTBIO LIGHTER r011 clams.

v APPLICATION FILED 001. 27, 1910. I 1,01 1,357.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Thomas P Moba'y.

amvcwi'oz COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. IJ. cv

v 16 and extends through a THOMAS P. MOODY, OF CI-IIGAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC LIGHTER FOB. CIGARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Application filed October 27, 1910. Serial No. 589,184.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. MooDY, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lighters for Cigars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lighters adapted especially for useas a cigar lighter, but capable of use asa night lamp, a torch, for

lighting cigars, and otherwise. Fluid fuel is employed and it is lighted by electric sparks produced by a contact device, the object being to produce a device by means ofv which the ignition of the vapor of the fuel is assured. A double spark or contact is used, whereby the defect of a single contact is avoided, this defect being that they are not sure lighters, and sometimes have to be operated repeatedly to produce ignition. The device is also improved with respect to other details of construction, as more fully appears hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 1 is a detail of a modification. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the device applied to a cigar cutter.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the top plate of a casing, box, or other structure to which the lighter is applied. 12is a bracket depending from said plate and provided with a pivot pin 13 on which swings a frame 11 consisting of two side plates, the ends of which embrace the bracket 12 and are slot-ted as indicated at 11? to receive the pivot pinand to allow slight movement of the frame back and .forth, as well as the swinging movement on the pivot.

The supply tube 15 projects through the top plate, from which it is insulated by a bushing 17 and a wick 10 extends through this tube from any suitable source of fuel supply, the fuel used being preferably alcohol, which will form a vapor at the open upper end of the wick tube. a

An operating arm or lever 16 is fastened betweenithe side plates 11 by means of pins slot in the top plate. This lever carries a spring finger 20 which is insulated from the lever by a block 21 and is electrically connected to a wire 19, which extends through the lever. Another wire 18 is connected to the tube 15, and these wires will lead from any suitable source of currentsupply.

The lever 16 and frame 11 swing on the pivot 13 to wipe the end of the finger 20 across the points 26 and 27 at the end of the tube 15, thereby producing a double spark when the lever ispushed down, the end of the tube 15 being recessed or cut out between said contact points 26 and 27 to form a gap. The downward pressure of the lever 16 is resisted by'a spring A connected to an arm 10 which is connected to a slotted bracket 10 at one end and at the other end to the frame 11 and acts to lift the parts to original position after operation. 16 also carried an extinguisher 11. on the-return movement of the lever it is desirable to avoid any contact of the finger 20 with the points 26 and 27, and for this purpose I provide a cam device 23 which is pivoted at 21 to a bracket 22 on the underside of the plate 6. This member 23 has a toe 28 which limits its forward swing and a heel 23 which limits its backward swing by contact respectively with the underside of the top plate, and the depending part of the cam member extends in position to engage a pin 25 projecting from one of the side plates 11.

In operation when the handle lever 16 is pushed down the end of the finger 20 wipes first over the point 26 and produces a spark. This spark displaces the surrounding air at themouth of the tube 15 and tends to produce a partial vacuum at said place, which, I believe, is effective for the purpose of inducing a flow of vapor at the end of the wick, for the pressure after the spark tends to draw or suck the vapor fromthe wick. Continued movement of the lever wipes the finger 20 across the point 27, producing a second spark which ignites the vapor. This explanation of the action I believe to be correct, for experiment has shown that ignition is invariably produced, whereas with devices having only one spark it sometimes fails, and I am convinced that the first spark tends to draw vapor from the wick owing to the partial vacuum produced by the first spark. As the lever is pushed down it travels along the frontside of the cam piece 23 which swings back to allow the pin 25 to pass below the point of the cam. The weighted heel 23 then causes the cam piece to swing forwardly and the lever 16 being then released, the pin 2-5 travels up along the rear side of the cam, which draws the frame 14 backwardly to the extent permitted by the slot 146, thereby moving the lever 16 upwardly a sufficient distance to cause the finger 20 to miss the points 26 and 27 on the back stroke, and when the pin 25 reaches the point 30 of the cam, the spring pressure on the plate 14: draws the parts forwardly again, the pin 25 passing through a notch in the cam just above the point 30,

,to original position in front of the cam piece. This action, therefore, prevents sparking on the return stroke of the lever.

Fig. 5 shows the device applied to a cigar cutter, which has a box 35 with a drawer 4:0 to receive tips cut by the cutter at 33, at an opening 32 in a hood 34 on top of the Fig. 4 shows a modification in which the finger 20 is pivoted to the end of an arm on the lever 16. This may be used instead of the spring finger 20, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is r 1. In an electric lighter, the combination of a wick tube having spaced contacts at the open end thereof, and a lever having a contact projection which may be wiped across said contacts to produce a double spark.

2. In an electric lighter, the combination of a wick tube having spaced contacts on opposite sides of the wick at the open end thereof, and a movable operating member having a contact finger projecting in position to wipe across both of said contacts.

3. In an electric lighter, the combination of a wick tube, and means to produce initial and secondary sparks in rapid succession at the mouth of the said tube.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. MOODY.

Witnesses NELLIE FnLTsKoG, H. G. BATCHELOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

